Crib-table combination



Aug. 30, 1966 D. w. SCHURLE 3 CRIB-TABLE COMBINATION Filed Aug. '7, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Darrell W. Schurle ATTORNEY Aug. 1966 D. w. SCHURLE CRIB-TABLE COMBINATION Filed Aug. 7, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. ll

Fig.l0

INVENTOR. Darrell W. Schurle Fig. 9

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,268,921 CRIB-TABLE COMBINATION Darrell W. Schurle, 434 Walnut, Brighton, Colo. Filed Aug. 7, 1964, Ser. No. 338,192 7 Elaims. (ill. -98) This invention relates to containing and holding devices which are especially, but not exclusively, adapted to facilitate infant care, and more particularly to infants cribs and feeding tables, a primary object of the invention being to provide a novel and improved construction of a convertible crib and feeding table combination for infants, which will be hereinafter referred to as a cribtable.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved crib-table which is especially adapted to assist a mother in the care of an infant by providing on one hand, a crib or play pen wherein an infant can be safely confined when he does not require attention, and on the other hand, a table whereon the infant may be placed for feeding, bathing and other care.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved multi-purpose crib-table which combines a deck portion with a rail portion in various arrangements, and into a flat table construction in one arrangement, a deep, spacious crib frame in another arrangement, and additional intermediate arrangements as where a protective rail is needed about a table surface, as when the infant is being bathed or dressed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a crib table construction which is especially useful in crowded living quarters in that the same may serve several useful purposes, as a table and also as a crib, and also, the unit may be adapted to be folded into a comparatively compact unit for storage when it is not needed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved crib-table which is especially adapted to facilitate infant care but is also equally well adapted to serve as a basket, table and even as an adjustable working deck for other purposes.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a novel and improved crib-table which is a neat-appearing, lightweight, easily adjusted, low-cost, rugged and durable unit.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, all of which more fully hereinafter appear, my invention comprises certain constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts and elements as hereinafter described, defined in the appended claims and illustrated in preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of the improved cribtable with the deck thereof being extended upwardly to form a table and with a baby seat placed in an opening therein as for seating a child when it is being fed.

FIGURE 2 is a bottom view of the crib-table illustrated at FIG. 1.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional detail as taken from the indicated line 33 as at FIG. 2 but on a further enlarged scale.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional detail to illustrate one manner of placing a seat in the deck, as taken from the indicated line 4--4 at FIG. 1 but on an enlarged scale and with broken lines indicating the manner in which a filler is used when the seat is removed.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional detail as taken from the indicated line 5-5 at FIG. 1 but on an enlarged scale and with broken lines indicating a position the leg portions of the table assume when the unit is retracted as for storage.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional detail as taken from the indicated line 6-6 at FIG. 5.

FIGURE 7 is an isometric View of the crib-table, similar to FIG. 1 but with the deck thereof being dropped to form the floor of a crib, and with a netting forming a wall thereof.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary sectional view as taken from the indicated line 8-8 at FIG. 7, but on an enlarged scale, with the netting removed, with broken lines indicating alternate positions to which the deck may be placed and with certain modified details of construction to illustrate a more simple embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 8 but on a further enlarged scale, with portions of the leg being cut away to conserve space and with other portions of the structure being broken away and in section to illustrate parts otherwise hidden from view.

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary sectional view as taken from the indicated line 10-10 at FIG. 7 but on an enlarged scale.

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary sectional view as taken from the indicated line 1111 at FIG. 7 but on an enlarged scale.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the improved crib-table contemplates a shiftable deck 20 within a framework 21, to form a table when the deck is at a top position in the frame, as illustrated at FIG. 1, and a crib or playpen at a bottom position, as illustrated at FIG. 7. The deck may also be shifted to intermediate levels to form a work table which is fenced in by the framework, as will be hereinafter described.

The framework 21 consists of a circular, peripheral rail 22 which is supported on legs 23. The rail, at table height, forms the outer rim of a table when the deck is within its embrace. It forms the top rail or fence of a crib or work surface whenever the deck is dropped to a position below the rail.

To deck 20 is likewise circular and of a size which fits within the rail 22. It is attached to the legs by sleeves 24 so that it may slide on the legs to shift vertically as from an upper position where it. functions as a table surface to a lower position near the bottom of the legs to function as the floor of a playpen or crib. It may be locked in any position as hereinafter described.

Various accessories are included with the unit. The deck is formed with an opening 25 at one side thereof to receive an infants chair 26 to facilitate holding and feeding an infant. The unit will also include a netting 27 which will be fitted about the rail 22 and the edge of the deck 20 to form the wall of a crib when the deck is at a lower position. It is further contemplated that this unit may have its legs adapted to fold underneath the table into a more compact package when it is not in use, or the legs may be rigidly affixed to the rail to provide a lower cost unit which will not fold up. These various constructions and modifications will now be described in detail.

The circular rail 22 is the primary structural component of the frame. It forms the peripheral edge of a table when the deck is at its top position and neatly trims this table edge. This rail is preferably formed of tubular metallic stock which may be essentially square in section with the upper, outer edge being rounded to enhance the appearance of the unit, as illustrated at FIG. 4, or it may be a simple tubular member circular in cross-section as illustrated at FIGS. 8 and 9.

Any suitable number of legs 23 and preferably four, of a suitable length, are attached to this rail to depend therefrom. The legs 23 are tubular members, circular in section. Casters 28, or floor-protective pads, are attached to the legs. The upper ends of the legs may be welded or otherwise secured to the rail as in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 or they may be hinged to the rail and thereby adapted to be folded underneath the table when the unit is not in use. In the arrangement illustrated at FIGS. 5 and 6, a tubular stub 29 is welded to the underside of the rail at each leg position. The leg 23 includes an upwardly projecting tongue 30 which is. adapted to slide into the stub to hold the leg in position. This tongue 30 is flattened and fits between the legs of a forked slide head 31 carried within the stub 29. The tongue is connected to the legs of the head 31 by a pivot 32. The slide head 31 is held within the stub 28 by a spring 33. This spring 33 is compressed between the head of a bolt 34 extending from the end of the head into the stub and a washer 35 which is pressed into the stub with a tight fit. It follows that the leg 23 can be pulled outwardly against the spring action and from the stub a short distance which is sufiicient to release its tongue 29 and permit the leg to be'rotated about the pivot 21 on the slide head to an infolded position underneath the deck 20.

The deck 20 may be made of any substantially rigid sheet material and will include a downwardly projecting rim 36 about its peripheral edge.

This upper surface of the deck is preferably finished with a smooth, waterproof material 37 such as Formica or vinyl and this finished surface 37 may overlap the rim 36 of the deck a short distance as at 38 to fit against the inner wall of the rail with a comparatively snug smooth fit.

The sleeves 24 are attached to this rim as by welding at a position below the surface of the deck and at a distance sufficient to permit the upper surface of the deck to be at the top edge of the rim when the sleeves 24 are at their top positions on the legs 23. These sleeves are members of sufiicient length to rigidify and stabilize the legs and to prevent and minimize any racking action to the table in its normal use.

A latch means is provided underneath the deck 20 at each leg to lock the deck at various elevations on the legs. This arrangement includes an inverted, U-shaped bracket 39 which is afiixed to the underside of the table against the rim 36 and adjacent to each leg sleeve 24. Each bracket has a passageway through its legs thereof, and this passageway also extends through the rim 36 and sleeve 24. A latch bar 40 extends through each passageway and is adapted to move into selected sockets 41 in the leg. The latch bar 40 is spring-loaded to move outwardly from the deck and into a leg socket. A washer-like shoulder 42 is afiixed to the bar between the legs of the bracket adjacent to the rim 36 and a spring 43 is mounted about the latch bar between the shoulder 42 and the inward arm of the bracket 39 to urge the latch bar outwardly and into a leg socket. The point of each latch bar 40 is preferably sloped at its upper side as at 44 so that when the deck is lifted upwardly, the sloped point will cause it to snap out of any leg socket 41 it may be in, and permit upward movement of the deck without the necessity of first retracting the latch bars.

However, in lowering the deck 20, as from a table to a crib position, it is necessary to retract the several latch bars 40 from their sockets. It is best to retract all of them by a simple, simultaneous operation. This may be accomplished by the use of a radially disposed rod 45 which is attached to the inner end of each latch and extends to the center of the underside of the deck. There the rods 45 connect with a turnplate 46. This turnplate is pivotally mounted upon a suitable boss 47 at the underside of the table as illustrated at FIG. 3. The turnplate 46 includes a handle 48 for easy gripping and twisting and the several rods extending from the latch or pivotally connected to sockets 49 in the peripheral section of the plate. To facilitate holding these rods in position, guide tubes 49 may be fastened to the underside of the table in any suitable manner It follows with this arrangement, that the deck 20 may be easily and quickly lowered by merely turning the handle 48 on the turnplate 46 to remove latches 40 from their leg sockets 41.

It is contemplated that leg sockets will be spotted on each leg at selected intermediate positions as well as at an upper and lower position. Thus the deck can assume intermediate positions on the legs as in the manner illustrated in broken lines at FIG. 8. When in such an intermediate position, the unit is ideally adapted for providing a working surface for special jobs. For example, a suitable intermediate position of the deck renders the unit far better for serving as an ironing table or a diaper folding table. Also, at an intermediate position, the unit is formed as a rail enclosed deck and is best for bathing and dressing an infant. The rail provides a much greater safety against his falling off the table as well as a better deck elevation for such purposes. When serving as a crib, the deck will be lowered to its bottom position and the netting 27 will be wrapped about the body of this unit to form the walls of the crib. The upper portion of the net is attached to circular rail 22 and the lower portion is attached to the rim 36 of the deck. In preferred construction, the netting 27 is formed as a cylindrical member of proper diameter when opened. It includes continuous upper reinforcing edging 50 and an interrupted lower reinforcing edging 51, the lower edging 51 being broken away at positions where the legs connect with the deck sleeves 24 to provide clearance therefor.

Straps 52 upstand from the upper reinforcing edging at suitable spacing along edging and are wrapped about the rail or otherwise attached thereto. For attachment purposes, simple metallic snaps are preferred and each strap may include a snap 53. The rail 22 will include like snap bases 54 at selected spacings, which are preferably located at the underside of the rail. Thus, a strap may be wrapped about the rail at the proper location to correspond with the positioning of a snap base thereon and simply fastened by snapping, as in the m-an ner illustrated at FIG. 10.

The lower edging 51 is adapted to lie against the outer surface of the rim 36 and it is suitably fastened thereto by similar snaps. Suitable, properly-spaced snaps 53 are carried on the lower edging and snap bases 54 are attached to the rim 36 at corresponding positions. With this simple snap-fastening arrangement, the net may be quickly and easily attached and removed from the unit as needed.

The deck, when modified to include an opening 25 for an infants chair 26, is formed with an offset shelf 55 at the underside of opposite sides of the opening to better hold the side portions of the chair in position. Also, it is contemplated that this opening may be closed by a flat plate 56 as in the manner indicated in broken lines at FIG. 4 and at FIG. 7 behind the netting. The thickness of the plate will be the same as the deck sheet and upon the shelves .so that its upper surface will be flush with the upper surface of the deck 20. It may be secured and locked in position by a simple latch 57 which is located at the underside and at an edge of the plate as indicated in broken lines at FIG. 7.

It is manifest that various other modifications of the structure can be made which could be described and which would nevertheless be within the scope of the invention disclosed herein. Therefore, while I have described the invention in considerable detail, I am aware that others skilled in the art can build and devise alternate and equivalent constructions which are nevertheless within the spirit and scope of my invention. Hence, I desire my protection be limited, not by the constructions illustrated and described, but only by the proper scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A crib-table comprising:

(a) a framework including an enclosed top rail and legs depending therefrom to support the rail at a. selected elevation;

(b) an elevationally adjustable deck adapted to fit within the embrace of the top rail with the top of the deck being at the top of said top rail when at :the elevation of the rail to serve as a table and to fit between the legs when at an elevation below the rail to serve as a crib deck;

(c) a sleeve slidably mounted upon each leg and affixed to the edge of the deck to slidably secure the deck within the framework with each sleeve being offset below the deck surface a distance suflicient to permit the deck to move upwardly into the embrace of the top rail and to the top of the top rail as each sleeve moves to the top of its leg; and,

(d) releasable lock means adapted to secure the deck at the top and at selected elevations within the framework.

2. In the organization set forth in claim 1, including a latching means associated with each sleeve-lock means adapted to operate all lock means in unison.

3. In the organization set forth in claim 1, wherein the lock means comprises a latch bar at the underside of the deck and a socket in the leg.

4. In the organization set forth in claim 1, including a circular net having a circumference substantially that of the top rail and the height substantially the distance between the top rail and the deck at its lower-most position, means adapted to secure the upper edge of the netting to the top rail and means adapted to secure the lower edge of the netting to the periphery of the deck, whereby to form a wall-like enclosure.

5. In the organization set forth in claim 5, including webbing about the upper and lower edges of the netting and wherein the fastening means consists of snap 6 fasteners with the base portions thereof being secured to the rail and to the deck and the socket portions of the fasteners being secured to the webbing.

6. In the organization set forth in claim 1, wherein said legs are pivoted adjacent to the rail and are thereby adapted to swing underneath the deck whenever it is at the upward position to form a table, and a locking means associated with each pivot adapted to secure the same in an extended position when in normal use.

7. In the organization defined in claim 1, wherein said top rail is substantially square in section and the top surface of said deck is adapted to fit against the inner wall of the rail with a comparatively smooth flush fit.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 483,218 9/1892 H-ayden 5--98.2

872,498 12/ 1907 Cleveland 5-11 X 1,133,804 3/1915 Haufman 108144 X 2,386,721 10/1945 Sedit-a 599 2,873,458 2/1959 Adamson 5-98 3,183,527 5/1965 Turner 5--98 FOREIGN PATENTS 810,179 8/1951 Germany. 602,445 3/ 1960 Italy.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

R. D. KRAUS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CRIB-TABLE COMPRISING: (A) A FRAMEWORK INCLUDING AN ENCLOSED TOP RAIL AND LEGS DEPENDING THEREFROM TO SUPPORT THE RAIL AT A SELECTED ELEVATION; (B) AN ELEVATIONALLY ADJUSTABLE DECK ADAPTED TO FIT WITHIN THE EMBRACE OF THE TOP RAIL WITH THE TOP OF THE DECK BEING AT THE TOP OF SAID TOP RAIL WHEN AT THE ELEVATION OF THE RAIL TO SERVE AS A TABLE AND TO FIT BETWEEN THE LEGS WHEN AT AN ELEVATION BELOW THE RAIL TO SERVE AS A CRIB DECK; (C) A SLEEVE SLIDABLY MOUNTED UPON EACH LEG AND AFFIXED TO THE EDGE OF THE DECK TO SLIDABLY SECURE THE DECK WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK WITH EACH SLEEVE BEING OFFSET BELOW THE DECK SURFACE A DISTANCE SUFFICIENT TO PERMIT THE DECK TO MOVE UPWARDLY INTO THE EMBRACE OF THE TOP RAIL AND TO THE TOP OF THE TOP RAIL AS EACH SLEEVE MOVES TO THE TOP OF ITS LEG; AND, (D) RELEASABLE BLOCK MEANS ADAPTED TO SECURE THE DECK AT THE TOP AND AT SELECTED ELEVATIONS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK. 